On your visit to the Azores, you cannot miss a tour through the famous islands of the triangle: Faial, Pico and São Jorge. You will easily be able to move between them by boat, and you will see that each one has charms and hides secrets worth discovering.
One of these examples is the secret hidden on the wonderful island of São Jorge, known for its high slopes, cliffs and fajãs: Ponta dos Rosais. It is the northwest end of one of the most beautiful islands in the Azores, with unmatched views of the surrounding islands.
At Ponta dos Rosais, the Atlantic and the wind come together to honor the cliffs on which the island of S. Jorge has been sculpting over millenniums. This past turmoil, however, does not prevent the island from allowing itself to be taken by the mildness of the hours, whose passage is practically unnoticed. The magnificence of the landscape has the power to leave us surrendered to silence and contemplation, able to understand the deep nature of such cliffs.
The name Rosais comes from the many roses that the first settlers came across when they arrived in that part of the island. The implementation of the parish, one of the oldest in S. Jorge, dates back to 1568.
This is a special conservation area, more than 200 meters above sea level, which is home to some endemic vegetation of the Azores, such as Labaça das Ilhas, Myosotis (Forget-me-not), Bracel-da-Rocha and Heather.
The forest park of Sete Fontes, with its red gravel paths, in contrast to an endless palette of greens and browns, includes two panoramic points: the viewpoint of Pico da Velha, with breathtaking views of the islands of Pico and Faial, which gives us a unique perception of the archipelago; and the Ferrã Afonso Viewpoint, which allows you to enjoy a large part of the north coast of S. Jorge, with its breathtaking cliffs, and which offers barbecue facilities, picnic areas, animal fences, a children's playground, and a sports and leisure area.
In its humble splendor, the Rosais lighthouse, inaugurated in 1958, was considered, at the time, the best and most advanced in the country. The 1980 earthquake, however, determined its evacuation, due to the collapse of cliffs. Today, the equipment is abandoned, although the function is still ensured by a light powered by solar energy that is installed on top of the tower. In its proximity, it is possible to visit a guardhouse that was used as a lookout point at the time of whaling.
Fly with us to the Azores and discover this and other hidden secrets!
Visit the official Tourism of the Azores website at www.visitazores.com.